AirAsiaX has added an extra seat to each row in the A330-300 resulting in 9 abreast seating rather than the standard 8 on this aircraft type. The result of this is a very narrow seat of about 16.9 inch. The seat pitch is fairly standard at 31-32 inch and seat recline is approximately 3 inches. At the time of booking it is recommended that you pre-book your seats (for a small fee) so you can sit together where you want. Half my family were on one booking and they didn't pre-book seats. When they went to check in online they were separated across the aircraft. There are seats with extra leg room that come at a cost or seats in the quiet cabin but the best seats in terms of cost and comfort are those in the back 8 rows. Here the fuselage narrows meaning the seating changes from three sets of three seats across the aircraft (3-3-3) to a less dense 2-3-2 seating configuration. It is from the back of the aircraft that the meal service starts so if you get impatient waiting for the cart these are great seats. Being a low cost carrier, blankets, pillows and amenity kits are not provided however you can purchase on board for about AUD $25. My tip is to bring with you a large microfiber towel to act as a blanket as these are warm, compact and light weight, a 'U' shaped neck pillow, eye mask and ear plugs to make your flight more comfortable. On the overnight flight the lights are on 'bright' for a good three hours so that eye mask could come in very handy, there's no dim cabin lighting here.

Announcements - there were so many loud announcements! You can't get off an AirAsia flight and say you weren't informed of every meal service, time to fasten your seatbelt, landing, arrival, takeoff, duty free, bar closing, quarantine notice etc. These are fairly standard announcements but on an overnight flight they were just very loud and repetitive. I think we were told that we had landed in Kuala Lumpur some four or five times! Apart from that the service was fine and the security precautions and rules followed perfectly.

I was surprised at the taste of the AirAsiaX food. Some of it looks about as processed and rubbery as it can get but it tastes good and there is quite a wide variety of things to choose from if you pre-book meals online. Make sure if you have pre-ordered anything that you keep your boarding pass on you as without the boarding pass you won't get the meal. On the flight to KL we booked two meals each, a breakfast and a lunch BUT both meals came together on the breakfast run. Thankfully the crew were able to hold our meals and re-heat them three hours later when we were ready for them ( and yes the food safety member of the family did have a problem with this until he tasted the satay, loved it and continued eating). If you are ordering AirAsia's new big breakfast (or heart attack on a plate) it's really quite filling and you probably won't need a lunch meal. As with every low cost airline there is a variety of snacks and drinks you can purchase on board as well as a selection of fresh and hot meals but the only guarantee of getting a hot or fresh meal is to pre-book (you save a further 15% too so why not!). The meals are nice and hot and all come with a complimentary bottle of water, tea or coffee, plastic cutlery and a napkin. Besides with a purchased meal there is no comliemntary water offered.

AirAsiaX do not have any form of complimentary in-flight entertainment. Samsung Galaxy tablets loaded with TV shows and movies can be purchased on board BUT it is best if you pre-order your tablet at the time of booking to ensure you actually get one. Don't rely on there being an in-flight magazine to keep you company either, I think we had one between three which may or may not be deliberate by the airline.

These are the things you need to do to ensure you have a smooth experience; - Print your documents for proof of chosen seats and meals purchased. - Domestic flights on the AirAsia network require you to have checked in and printed a boarding pass before arriving at the airport or you will be charged a check-in fee - Pre-book as much as you can online before the flight to ensure you actually get what you want plus you get greater discounts online - Pre-purchase checked baggage and stick to the baggage allowance - you will be charged if you don't - Take an empty bottle of water through security with you so you can fill up prior to boarding the plane otherwise you will be paying a lot for water as it is not provided complimentary. - AirAsia and AirAsiaX operates out of Kuala Lumpurs low cost airport KLIA2 Low cost carriers are fantastic if you follow the rules and are prepared - where they come undone is when you have to make a change or contact them (with the exception of Scoot who have a great call centre). We did have to change a couple of the tickets whilst away and it wasn't easy. To change the ticket would cost a huge amount of money to the point that two of the party ended up booking completely new flights as that was going to be cheaper. Travel insurance is a must when travelling on a low cost carrier because if you can't make the flight the only refund you will ever get is the airport taxes. I should point out that any extras you have ordered - seats, bags, meals will also not be refunded.